PREFACE

CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS	WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
JOINT OFFICE: Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 ROME Tel.: 52251 Telex: 625825-625853 FAO I Cables: Foodagri Rome Facsimile: (6)5225.4593
CX 4/40.2	CL 1996/13 -PR May 1996

TO:	- Codex Contact Points
	- Participants at the Twenty-eighth Session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues
	- Interested International Organizations
FROM:	Chief, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy
SUBJECT:	DISTRIBUTION OF THE REPORT OF THE 28TH SESSION OF THE CODEX COMMITTEE ON PESTICIDE RESIDUES (ALINORM 97/24)

The report of the 28th Session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR) will be considered by the 22nd Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission to be held in Geneva from 23-28 June 1997.

PART A: MATTERS FOR ADOPTION BY THE 22ND SESSION OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION[1]

The following matters will be brought to the attention of the 22nd Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission for adoption or endorsement (ALINORM 97/24, Annex II):

1. Draft Maximum Residue Limits at Step 8;

2. Draft Extraneous Maximum Residue Limits at Step 8; and

3. Proposed Draft Maximum Residue Limits at Step 5/8

Governments wishing to propose amendments or to comment on the Draft MRLs/EMRLs and Proposed Draft MRLs, including revised ones, should do so in writing in conformity with the Guide to the Consideration of Standards at Step 8 of the Procedure for the Elaboration of Codex Standards Including Consideration of Any Statements Relating to Economic Impact (Codex Alimentarius Procedural Manual, Ninth Edition, pp. 33-35) to the Chief, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy, not later than 15 December 1996.

4. Deletion of Codex MRLs

Governments wishing to comment on proposed deletion (not including that of Codex MRLs/EMRLs replaced by the revised MRLs/EMRLs) should do so in writing to the Chief, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy, not later than 15 December 1996.

PART B: REQUEST FOR COMMENTS AND/OR INFORMATION

1. INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR CONSIDERATION AT THE 29TH SESSION OF THE CCPR

Governments and interested international organizations are invited to send information on data availability on the following to the Chief, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy, with a copy to Dr. W.H. van Eck, Chairman of the CCPR, Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, Postbox 3008, 2280 MK Rijswijk, no later than 15 February 1997 for consideration by the CCPR at its 29th Session.:

(a) Information on Certain CXLs

Quintozene (064)	GAPs and residue data to support the CXL for banana (para. 48);
Dicloran (083)	GAPs and residue data to support the CXLs for: apricot, blackberries, cherries, common bean, currants, gherkin, nectarine, raspberries, strawberry, and witloof chicory (para. 56);
Tecnazene (115)	GAPs and residue data to support the CXLs for head lettuce and witloof chicory; and residue data for animal products when potato is fed as feed (para. 67);
Profenofos (171)	GAPs and residue data to support the CXL for teas (para. 73).

The 29th CCPR will consider deletion of all CXLs for the following pesticides:

Ethoxyquin (035) (para. 41); Cartap (097) (para. 58); Methacrifos (125) (para. 69); and Isofenphos (131) (para. 69).

(b) Information on Intake Estimates of Certain Pesticides

Monocrotophos (054)	Chronic and acute intake estimates (para. 45); and
Abamectin (177)	How to perform intake calculations taking into consideration 2 ADIs established by the 1995 JMPR (para. 77).

Those countries submitting information are also requested to send the same to FAO Joint Secretary of the JMPR (GAPs, residue data, residue definition) or to Dr. J.L. Herrman (toxicological data) (for address see Part B.3), in time for relevant JMPR evaluation (see Part B.3 and Appendix II of this report).

2. MONITORING DATA AND INFORMATION ON EMRL SETTING

The 26th CCPR discussed the need for establishing criteria for the use of monitoring data to elaborate EMRLs and agreed to invite governments to submit to the JMPR information on how monitoring data were used in establishing EMRLs at national level (data requirements, methods of evaluations, statistical treatment, etc.). The Committee also agreed to invite governments to provide monitoring data on the pesticides on the EMRL list, including data indicating that no residues were detected as the importance of this type of information as well as of data on detected residue levels was noted. The 27th CCPR also requested member countries to send details of their basic policies on the establishment of EMRLs and agreed that it continue to collect monitoring data.

The 28th CCPR acknowledged that several countries had provided their EMRL setting policies as well as monitoring data in support of lower EMRLs for some commodities. The Committee noted a recommendation that criteria for EMRL setting should be developed (para. 84). The Chairman expressed his view that comments should be sought from Member countries on how the CCPR should proceed in the future regarding EMRLs.

Information and data should be sent to the Chief, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, with a copy to Dr. W.H. van Eck, Chairman of the CCPR, (for address, see Part B.1), not later than 15 December 1996.

3. INFORMATION AND DATA REQUESTED TO BE SENT TO JOINT FAO/WHO MEETING ON PESTICIDE RESIDUES

(a) Residues and Toxicological Data Required by JMPR for Pesticides Scheduled for Evaluation or Periodic Re-evaluation

Governments and interested international organizations are invited to send inventory of data for pesticides on the agenda of the JMPR. Inventories of information on use patterns or good agricultural practices, residue data, national MRLs, etc. should be sent to FAO Joint Secretary of the JMPR, Plant protection Service, AGP, FAO, Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy, well before 30 November of a year before a JMPR meeting where a pesticide of concern is scheduled to be evaluated and, submission of residue data should be well before the end of February of the same year as the JMPR meeting. Toxicological data should be sent to Dr. J.L. Herrman, International Programme on Chemical Safety, WHO, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland not later than one year before the JMPR meeting (see Appendix II).

Those countries specified under individual compounds concerning matters related to the FAO Panel of the JMPR (GAP, residue evaluation, etc.) on specific pesticide/commodity(ies) or concerning toxicological matters are invited to send information of data availability and/or toxicological data (for deadlines see the paragraph above).

(b) MRLs at or about the Limit of Determination for Multi-component Residues

Governments are invited to send information on practical approaches applied at the national level to MRLs for pesticides with multi-component residues when evaluation arrives at an MRL at or around the limit of determination (para. 19). Information should be sent to FAO Joint Secretary of the JMPR (for address, see above) not later than 15 December 1996.

4. INTAKE DATA

The 26th Session of the CCPR decided to keep draft MRLs which might give rise to potential intake concern at Step 7C for a period of one year, requesting governments to provide intake calculation, preferably EDI calculation to WHO. The 27th CCPR decided to keep at Step 7C for another year those draft MRLs which might give rise to intake concern and had been held at the Step since the last session.

Member countries, especially those expressing intake concerns, are invited to submit their intake calculations, preferably EDI calculations, to the Chairman of the CCPR (for address see Part B.1) with a copy to Dr. G. Moy, Food Safety Unit, WHO, 20 Avenue Appia, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland, not later than 30 November 1996.

5. INFORMATION ON NATIONAL DIETS

At the 26th CCPR, the need for revision of a regional and global diets was raised. This was also raised at the Consultation held in York, UK (May, 1995). Governments are once again invited to provide national diet or national food consumption data to Dr. G. Moy (for address see Part B.4), not later than 30 November 1995.

NOTE:

1. Shortening of the “Residue and analytical aspects” sections of the JMPR reports

The 1995 JMPR sought advice from the CCPR on the above. Governments are invited to send comments on shortening of the report and on improving its timely availability to FAO Joint Secretary of the JMPR, Plant Protection Service, AGP, FAO, Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy.

2. Unlike previous practices, requests for methods of analysis and sampling and for proposals for inclusion in the Priority List will be circulated in separate Circular Letters.